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STRANDED at the train station ... osteoporosis sufferer Phyllis Butterworth had to leave her mobility scooter behind because of Northern Rail’s health and safety policy.
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Rail chiefs put brake on disabled Phyllis
Katie Storey13/ 9/2008
A SEVERELY disabled woman has made an angry complaint to a rail company after staff at Rochdale station refused to let her board a train with her mobility scooter.
Phyllis Butterworth, aged 54, of Oldham Road, Rochdale, suffers from osteoporosis, which makes her bones very brittle and means she tires extremely easily.
Her husband bought her an electric scooter last Christmas, but plans to make her first train journey with it were halted when rail staff said they couldn’t allow the scooter on the Manchester-bound train because it was ‘against health and safety policy’ It wouldn’t collapse and was 20lbs over the weight limit.
Mrs Butterworth, who was accompanying her brother, Robert Warburton, to a medical appointment, was forced to leave her scooter at the station and had to be supported on the mile-long walk from Victoria station to Albert Bridge House, Bridge Street, off Deansgate.
Since being diagnosed with the disease three years ago Mrs Butterworth has suffered seven fractures and lost five inches in height.
She said: "Even if the scooter did fold in half, there would be no way I could lift it.
"I told the staff that I couldn’t walk very far, but they just said they don’t make the rules.
"When we walked to Bridge Street I had to hold on to my brother all the way and I was absolutely shattered for the rest of the day.
"I am absolutely disgusted. I think the train should have had at least one carriage where people with electric scooters could travel. There are more people in Rochdale in a similar situation to me.
"The scooter is my only form of getting about without difficulty."
Northern Rail spokeswoman Clare Conlin said: "We can’t take mobility scooters that don’t fold up, because of their size and manoeuvrability.
"These scooters block gangways and cause safety problems, but there is room for wheelchairs and smaller scooters.
"The problem is the type of trains that we run don’t have enough space for these types of mobility scooters. There isn’t any space for them to turn around once they’re driven on – it’s purely a space issue."
According to National Rail Enquiries, diferent rail companies have different policies. But most allow scooters up to 3ft 11ins long and 2ft 3ins wide.
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There isn't enough carriages for regular passengers, never mind dedicating one to the disabled.
17/09/2008 at 10:05